subject: An Overview Of Choosing A Digital Hearing Aid [print this page] Millions of people everywhere suffer from some degree of hearing loss. The upside is that today's hearing aids feature the latest in technology that can allow these people to experience normal hearing again. Really the only problem is, there are so many different technologies and styles to decide between that it can be quite confusing. Most people today will choose a digital hearing aid, which has taken the place of the older, less efficient analog technology.
Since the technology is now more commonplace, you won't have to spend as much money on one of these instruments. That means they are more affordable for many people, which has led to a decline in popularity of the older but less expensive analog styles. There are four basic types of hearing aids today, each suited to certain levels of hearing problems and budgets.
The "completely in the canal" (CIC) device is extremely small and, as its name suggests, fits fully inside the ear canal. But because of its fairly compact size, it doesn't have as many features as some of the other models. An "in the canal" (ITC) style is worn partially in the ear canal. An "in the ear" (ITE) hearing aid is worn on the inner rim of the ear. The "behind the ear" (BTE) unit is worn in back of the outer ear.
Modern digital hearing aids offer many helpful features to people whose hearing isn't what it used to be. For example, the most recent improvements involve advanced signal processing methods that deliver incredibly clear sound quality. Many of today's hearing devices are able to adapt themselves to the existing circumstances. They can actually differentiate between speech and other sounds, and can suppress any background noise so that you are able to hear the conversation more clearly.
Most of these instruments can be programmed to your personal needs, and are also able to be reprogrammed if your hearing continues to decline. They give you a significant degree of flexibility and will adapt to all sorts of situations. You won't need to adjust the volume every time you move to a new location, since it will do this itself. Superior volume controls are able to keep noise distortion to a minimum. The digital processors filter the noise surrounding you in order to ensure superior sound quality.
You should make sure you are buying a well made, high quality digital hearing aid from a reputable manufacturer. These devices have up to date technology and a good choice of styles, features and sizes to suit most budgets and needs.
